


Stopping For Directions

by FandomLifeTookMyHandAndSaidRUN



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Domestic McDanno, M/M, Parental McDanno, Steve gives advice, diverts from canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-01
Updated: 2018-08-01
Packaged: 2019-06-20 02:02:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15523626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FandomLifeTookMyHandAndSaidRUN/pseuds/FandomLifeTookMyHandAndSaidRUN
Summary: Nahele reaches out to Steve, feeling uncertain about his own future and the opportunities available to him given his troubled past.





	Stopping For Directions

**Author's Note:**

> I started this months ago after seeing a post on Tumblr. It had something to the affect of Danny saying “that’s my idiot!” Steve stans came out of the woodwork to defend the man, some even going so far as to research his past. We all know it takes a certain kind of person to be a Navy SEAL, and not just anyone can do it.  
> I did a little research for this story but my point is that I too believe that Steve is a very educated and highly intelligent man. It is my own headcanon that he has more than a couple degrees and that he is a strong advocate for lifelong learning. 
> 
> If there are any glaring inaccuracies, please remember this is a work of fiction and I shall bend it to my will. *Insert evil cackling* 
> 
> I hope you enjoy this oneshot. I’ve worked on it periodically over the past few months and finally reached a point where I felt I couldn’t do much more with it. Domestic McDanno is my jam. This fic assumes an established relationship, but really it’s more about Steve trying to help a kid out. Because he is a giant half baked cookie and can’t help himself.
> 
> (Still new to the H50 fandom and still getting a feel for writing my two favorite knuckleheads. Bear with me!)

Steve pushed the glasses up his nose as he sat down at his desk, steaming cup of black coffee to his left, cell phone on mute to his right, laptop dead center.  He cracked his knuckles, and then typed in the website into his browser. There was a knock at the door, Steve paused but he heard Junior get up from the couch to answer it.

 

“Sir?”  Junior called out, “Nahele is here to see you.”

 

“Thanks, Junior! Send him in here, please!”  Taking a sip of his coffee, he pulled the glasses from his face and set them down.

 

“Sharp specs!”  Nahele noted as he walked into the office.  Steve grinned and shrugged, closing the laptop, he leaned back into his chair.

 

“So… what brings you around on a Sunday afternoon?  Figured you’d be out surfing with your buddies or something?”

 

It was Nahele’s turn to shrug.  “Nah, couple of them are on the mainland touring colleges with their parents.  Another had to stay home to work on his essay for his applications… Mother’s orders.”

 

“Hmm,”  Steve nodded.  “College is serious business, yeah.  You need a good essay to help get into a great school, and checking out your digs for a 4 year run is a smart move.  Something tells me you’re not here to talk about them?”

 

Nahele shook his head,  _ No _ .

 

“So…” Steve leaned forward in his chair, resting his elbows against the expanse of the oak desk.  “You’re thinking about the future I take it? All the options? It’s a bit overwhelming.”

 

Nahele nodded, ”A bit, yeah… Everybody seems to already know what they want to do.  I don’t have a damn clue. Not like I can talk to my ma cuz she’s dead and I barely remember her, and my dad… he was the last person to take advice from.  And I got a record now, so I don’t think any schools or the military would take me.”

 

Steve’s heart sank, Nahele didn’t have a strong parental figure to go to with these seemingly trivial things.  Having made a promise to always be there for Nahele, that night in the Marquis, Steve knew this was just one of those times.  It was a wonder that Nahele was even reaching out to him, but Steve was happy, nonetheless. And having had to face his future quite alone, he had some experience.

 

“I understand. You know you can always talk to me, or even Danny about this stuff-”

 

“Danny scares me.” Nahele admitted with a frown.

 

Steve rolled his eyes and chuckled, “Yeah, he scares me too.  He’s… a little rough around the edges but he’s a sucker for a kid asking for help.  Okay? He’s got the college background, Gracie has started looking at schools… He can give you that perspective.  Just keep that in mind.”

 

“Okay,” he smiled shyly.

 

“Alright,” Steve continued.  He knew he had to get this right, if he scared Nahele off there was no way he would ever dare approach Danny.  “Well, the good news is you haven’t even started Senior year yet. So you have a year to get your grades up, and think about where you see yourself going.  There’s nothing that says you  _ have _ to go to college right after school, though it is a good idea to keep the momentum going.  Don’t forget, there’s technical schools too. Blue collar can pay good money. Very important though, it’s not about the money.  Money is great, but you need to have a job you enjoy or going to work is going to be a miserable experience, okay?

 

“And the military, whatever branch you look into, they offer education too. I mean… I didn’t go to college right after High School.  I joined the Navy, I picked a specialty, went to officer training, and there was the SEALS… took college courses along the way too and got some degrees.  Hell, I’m taking two courses now.”

 

Nahele looked up from having stared forlornly at his hands.  “What do you mean you’re taking two now?”

 

“College courses.  Online. School is damn expensive if you have to commute or even live on campus.  Nahele, there are so many options to further your education… You think I want to do this 5-0 job forever?  I sure as hell do, but let’s be honest. I’m not getting any younger. There’s going to come a day when I can’t go leaping from rooftop to rooftop, throwing grenades, and chasing down suspects.  I’m not ready to retire, so… I’m preparing for the next chapter, so to speak.”

 

“So… what did the Navy teach you, then?” 

 

“Oh god, Nahele they did so much.  And anything you want, they have a program for it.  Everything you can learn as a civilian and then some.  But in Annapolis, I did Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering.  And you need a degree to attend Officer Candidate School. And then there’s special forces to consider… I’m sorry, this probably isn’t helping much is it?”

 

Nahele huffed, “Not really, no offense. Was trying to  _ narrow down _ my options, not add to them, but…”

 

“Okay, then let me tell you what I’m doing now.  How about that? Obviously I don’t want or need to live on campus somewhere, Hawaii is my home, I have a job here, yada yada yada.  I’m staying put, yeah? But I want more out of life, not that I’m unhappy, because I’m not. I just don’t want to get… bored? I guess.  Okay, so online schools… this one I’m with has 8 week sessions. They tell you what books to buy, they tell you up front when your assignments are due, usually weekly.  You do the reading, the discussion boards, the papers, quizzes and tests… all on your own time. No teachers breathing down your neck, no professors droning on and on and on… it’s at your convenience.  Which helps for people that have to work and well let’s face it, there’s no college courses being taught at 9 pm at night, right?”

 

“I guess? I wouldn’t know.”

 

“How about this.  Go basic. Look at local technical schools, and online college degree programs.  Go liberal arts major, that’s a mish mash of everything. With liberal arts, you can always double up or change your major without losing credits.  Nahele, I don’t care what you choose to do, the fact that you’re concerned and actually want to further your education, that’s huge! I commend you for that.  It’s okay to not have all the answers right now, it’s okay to not know what you want to do with your life. Do you think at 18 years old, I knew that i was going to lead a task force some day?  No way! Never would have suspected it. Do I want to lead a task force forever? Nah, someday I’ll want to slow down a bit. Which leads me back to this.” He tapped on the closed laptop.

 

“What are you studying this time?”  Nahele asked, interest perking.

 

“Business Administration.  There’s some Accounting, some Finance, some Marketing thrown in there… some general education courses, but a lot of those I already have credit for, so I’ll be finishing this degree faster than expected.  Figure if I’m gonna be helping Danny out with this restaurant, I might as well get educated on a few things, right?”

 

“I thought Danny was an Economics major?”

 

“Economics minor, yes.”

 

“So can’t he handle the business end of it and you… help with other stuff?  Like the kitchen?”

 

“I could.  But if Danny is away then I have to pick up the slack.  And if I’m doing my reserve duty, then he’s gotta handle my end. Which he totally can.  He’s got the cooking and the business down, but I’m doing one thing at a time. Cooking and kitchen management I’ll learn along the way, but that’s less important to me specifically at this time because we’ll have chefs in the kitchen with experience.  What about culinary? You like food, that’s another option for you. Hey, there’s a fantastic culinary institute I heard of-”

 

“Whoa, that’s okay, Steve.  Really!” Nahele chuckled at Steve’s enthusiasm.  

 

“The important thing to remember, it’s not all book smarts.  Okay? College isn’t the only road to a future, and you’ll likely change your path several times during your lifetime.”

 

“Well, if you have that engineering degree, why aren’t you just using that?”

 

“The engineering degree… it helped when I was on active duty and my jobs within the navy.  And I’m just shy of a computer science degree too, but that’s not where life is taking me at the moment.  It’s helped me along the way, but it’s not where I want to be. So Business Administration is where I’m at.  Currently kicking some serious ass in my Business Law class. Life experience, and Danny’s constant lectures about Laws and legality apparently have left an impression.  Easy A. But Accounting? Pffft. T Accounts? Assets plus Liabilities equals Owner’s Equity? Or is it minus? I don’t even know! Not everything in life is easy.”

 

“No, that’s for sure.  Learned that lesson already, and several times over.”  Nahele frowned, picking at the side of his thumb in the process.  “I suppose I could go hit the library… start checking out schools online or something.”

 

“Use my computer,”  Steve hopped up from his desk, grabbing a thick textbook from the bookshelf behind him.  “You find a place you wanna visit and check out, let me know. I’ll be more than happy to go with you, and ask the hard questions.”  He smiled warmly at the teenager, then tapped on his thick textbook. “I have three chapters to read. I’ll be out on the lanai if you need me.  Fridge is full, help yourself. M’kay?”

 

“Thanks, Steve,” Nahele huffed a sigh of relief.  He eyed the books on the shelf behind the desk.  _ Grapes of Wrath… Forgotten:  Untold Stories of D-Day... Scarlet Letter… The Existential Pleasures of Engineering… Sun Tzu’s The Art of War…  _  “Did you read all these?” He asked, as Steve stood in the doorway watching him.   
  


“Mm-hmm,” Steve answered.  “I uh… get bouts of insomnia, can’t get back to sleep.  So I grab a book, read for a bit. Sometimes it helps take my mind off things, sometimes I learn something new.”  Steve grabbed his reading glasses off the desk. “And now I’m gonna go learn about the court system… life experience or no, still gotta do it.”

 

Nahele nodded as his eyes passed over the numerous book bindings.  He enjoyed reading too, often having spent countless hours in the local library getting lost in books.  It was a warm place to stay on the cooler rainy days, and nobody ever thought to look for a juvenile delinquent there.  Steve had a small library of his own, many books belong to John McGarrett, with Steve’s own added to the shelves. His own personal history.  Nahele’s eyes were drawn to large framed documents on the walls. Diplomas. Steve’s diploma from High School, his certificates and awards, medals earned while on active-duty, and his college degrees.  Photos of him graduating from basic training, Annapolis, BUD/s training, and proudly displayed by John when he was alive, Steve just never took them down. It wasn’t a matter of pride that Steve kept these things up and on display, but more of a reminder of how far he had come.  And to think he had accomplished all this despite losing his mother as a teen, being sent away by his father for his own supposed safety… he had been dealt a bad hand, but he still managed to turn it around and make a life for himself. A successful one at that with an ohana that loved him dearly.  Suddenly Nahele didn’t feel so alone anymore, and the future looked a lot less frightening. With a smile, he sat down at the desk, opening the laptop and setting his sights on Google to begin his search.

  
  


****

 

Halfway through his second chapter, Steve stood and stretched, cracking various joints in the process.  Turning around, he could see Nahele through the opened door, nose deep in the laptop, scribbling notes onto the pad of paper beside him.  Steve was truly pleased that Nahele was taking not just an active interest in his own future, but putting forth the effort to do so himself.  Taking a few steps toward the water, Steve pulled out his phone and hit Danny’s speed dial number.

 

“Babe, you better be done with your reading, no excuses you got that test to take before Sunday night-“

 

“Yeah yeah, I’m on it, Dad. Chill out,” Steve chastised.  “I’m actually calling you for some advice, so if you could just kinda calm down and listen that would be great.”

 

There was a long pause, to which Danny responded hesitantly, “Sure. Uh… what’s going on?”

 

“It’s Nahele,” Steve glanced back to make sure the teen wasn’t within ear shot. “He’s been feeling conflicted about his future. College, life after high school, that sort of thing.  Your name did come up, so if he asks… please,  _ please _ be gentle. Okay?”

 

“Geez, you make me out to be some kind of monster. Nahele is from the street, he’s got that tough guy bravado, how could I possibly be intimidating?”

 

Steve rolled his eyes, “You get a tone sometimes, Daniel.  Alright, whatever. The reason for my call though, um… I gave him a run down of options. Vocational school, colleges, military… my experience, mentioned how you did the traditional college thing and that Grace is starting to visit schools and stuff.”

 

“Uh-huh… that sounds good. And accurate-“

 

“Did I do it right? Is that like what you told Grace? You think we can tag along with you guys next time you visit some place in state? You know, so he can get a feel for things?”

 

“Absolutely. Grace would love to have you guys tag along.  We’re visiting HPU in a few weeks, and I even convinced her to try Honolulu Community College. Like live at home and commute so she doesn’t get stuck living with some yahoo-“

 

“Daniel, she needs to grow up sometime. You can’t play protector forever.” Steve insisted. He could just picture his partner as he talked, arm’s gesticulating wildly. 

 

“I can forbid her from moving out until she’s 35.  I can forbid it. That’s my right as a-“

 

“Completely irrational overprotective helicopter parent?”

 

“Yes. And I’ll have you know I resent you saying such a negative thing.  Grace is lucky to have a father that cares so deeply, and actually wants her to still live at home instead of kicking her out at 18. That only contributes to delinquent behavior and she’s better than that.”

 

Danny’s retort was met with silence.

 

“Steve, you still there?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“You went silent on me. What gives?”

 

“You still think Nahele is a delinquent?”

 

“What? No. He  _ was _ , that is a fact that can’t be denied.  He has a record, he stole your car, Steven… he’s also a orphan, and an unfortunate victim of his circumstances. But, and this is a good one, mind you… but, he hasn’t been in trouble with the law since you got involved in his life. And his showing up over there today to talk future?  That’s a direct result of your influence. If it weren’t for you, he’d be in juvie right now, and his future would probably include an all expense paid vacation to Halawa. School of Hard Knocks, know what I’m saying?”

 

Steve hummed. He didn’t want to think about where Nahele would be right now if it hadn’t been for the boy stealing his car.  Honest to goodness he was a good kid with a great heart, he just needed someone to show him how to keep on the straight and narrow.

 

“Babe, you did good. Today, especially. I’m proud of you, okay?  I’m proud of Nahele too, you got his head set square on his shoulders and have given him a chance at a good life.  Saw Kamekona the other day and he couldn’t stop singing his praises. Hey, you know what? Have him look into grants and scholarships.  Even small ones are worth checking out, textbooks are ridiculously expensive and every little bit helps.” 

 

Steve’s chest flooded with warmth at these genuine words from Danny.

 

“I will be sure to mention that to him. Thanks, Danno.”

 

“You got it. Listen, I got Grace on the other line, gimme a call when you’re done with your homework, alright? Love you, babe. Talk soon.”

 

“Love you too.”

 

Steve’s lips curled into a smile as he pocketed his phone.  He walked back to the house, poking his head through the door catching Nahele’s attention.

 

“Danny and Grace are visiting some local schools soon. I’ll find out when, and the four of us can go together. How’s that sound?”

 

Steve was gifted with a relieved grin from Nahele.

 

“Really? You would go with me?”

 

“Of course! I want this as much as you do!  Come over tomorrow for dinner, if you’re free. Danny’s coming for dinner.  We can ask him about financial aid, and scholarships, and any advice on how to make this process less stressful.”

 

“I would love that, thanks.”

 

“Good, good. Okay I’ll let you get back to your research.  Need anything, I’ll be on the lanai.”

 

Steve settled back into the hammock, his book propped on his lap and his glasses on his nose.  His phone buzzed in his pocket, it was Danny.

 

_ D: Bring Nahele to dinner tomorrow. We can talk some more. _

 

_ S: One step ahead of you, already invited him. Great minds… _

 

_ D: Perfect! I’ll bring dessert, I’ve been experimenting for the restaurant.  Get back to your homework. _

 

Steve rolled his eyes again, opening his book.  This would work out, he would make certain of it. Nahele deserved this opportunity to better himself, nose to the grindstone he could keep himself out of trouble given the proper head start. And Steve would be there to show him the way.

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Sorry about the weird spacing... posting from mobile probably want the smartest idea. Oops?


End file.
